1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a workflow system managing and controlling flow of a sequence of jobs by processing workflow describing a sequence of jobs, for which a plurality of people are involved.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a workflow system for defining procedure of a sequence of jobs, for which a plurality of people are involved and operating and managing the same, operation and management of the jobs are performed according to the job procedure.
In general, the workflow in the workflow system is a definition of data format transferred between unit jobs, responsible people of respective unit jobs and order of execution of respective unit jobs when a job is divided into a plurality of unit jobs. For instance, in case of process of job trip slip, the process may consist of a first unit job to prepare the job trip slip, a second unit job to approve the job trip slip, a third unit job to make reservation of tickets and hotel, a fourth unit job to apply for settlement of the expense in the job trip and a fifth unit job to perform accounting process on the basis of application for settlement. These unit jobs are executed in the order from first unit job to the fifth unit job. The person who makes the job trip is responsible for the first and fourth unit jobs amongst the sequence of unit jobs. The supervisor of the person who makes the job trip is responsible for the second unit job. A secretary is responsible for the third unit job, and an accountant is responsible for the fifth unit jobs. On the other hand, in this case, the data to be transferred between respective unit jobs is a job trip slip.
While respective unit jobs are sequentially executed in one-by-one basis in the example of processing of the job trip slip, it is also possible to define a workflow including a conditional branch, in which one of a plurality of unit jobs is executed depending upon a condition, or a workflow including a plurality of unit jobs to be performed in parallel.
It is also possible to provide a preferential order for the workflow jobs. Here, the term "preferential order" is a parameter determining order of a plurality of unit jobs to be performed preferentially. It is also possible to define a deadline for the workflow jobs. The deadline should be not only the definition of the final time limit but also the tine limits for the respective unit jobs.
In application of such workflow system, it becomes necessary to have an exceptional operation, a flexible operation, a complete appreciation of direction of operation at the occurrence of situation obstructing performance of jobs or when modification of procedural order or preferential order of the jobs from normal order is desired. For example, when a person who is assigned for performing one job defined in the workflow is busy in other jobs or has a schedule for taking a vacation, sticking on the normal procedure inherently causes obstruction of the jobs. Thus, it becomes necessary to re-assign the job in question or shorten the procedure. Also, when a job for specific client is desired to be performed particularly preferentially, it becomes necessary to make all of the personals involved in the job appreciate such modification of the preferential order.
In such case, the conventional workflow systems have taken a measure employing functions discussed below, for example.
Firstly, by setting deadlines for each worker in performing assigned works, a predetermined special measure is taken when the deadline is expired. This type of conventional technology has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. (Heisei) 6-104921, for "Document Circulation method and Document Circulating System". In the above-identified publication, there is a disclosure for means for urging performance of the unit job for the job, on which the deadline has past.
Secondly, there is a technology for replacing a part of definition of the workflow with another definition or for newly adding partial definition of the workflow by means of a dedicated editor. This type of prior art has been disclosed in R. Medina-mora, T. Winograd, R. Flores, F. Flores "The Action Workflow Approach to workflow Management Technology", The Information Society, Vol 9, pp 391 to 404, and Keith D. Swenson, "Visual Support for Reengineering Work Processes", Conference on Organizational Computing Systems, on Nov. 1 to 5, 1993, pp 130 to 141.
However, in the first mentioned prior art, measure can be taken only after occurrence of passing of the deadline. Namely, this technology does not predict occurrence of problem. Therefore, it is not possible to avoid occurrence of the problem.
Also, in the second mentioned prior art, measure can be taken only when the person in charge of the job or manager becomes aware of the occurrence of the problem and modifies the own workflow. Namely, it is not possible to manage the status or to take a measure by predicting the occurrence of problem. This is the first defect in the prior art.
On the other hand, in the prior art, as set forth with respect to the first defect, measure can be taken only after occurrence of the problem. Therefore, it has been not possible to flexibly apply the workflow job which should be widely considered other than the purpose of solution of the specific problem. For instance, when a certain matter is to be given higher preferential order than other matters due to change of direction of the organization, there has been no way to deal with. This is the second defect in the prior art.
Furthermore, when the foregoing second method, namely the method to replace a part of definition of the workflow with another definition, the dedicated editor for the workflow definition has to be made active and thus cannot modify the operation of the workflow with a user interface which can directly effect modification with monitoring status of performance of the workflow. Thus, operation becomes completed. This is the third defect of the prior art.